The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC said one of its investigators escaped death by whiskers on Saturday, June 24, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State when he was shot by unidentified gunmen.
According to the anti graft agency, the operative, identified as Austin Okwor who worked in the Property Fraud Section of the Port Harcourt Zonal Office was suddenly accosted by a gang of daredevil hoodlums who opened fire on him as he was leaving office late in the day.
EFCC added that though the operative was able to shake off his assailants, he sustained bullet wounds as the gunmen kept firing at him before he was able to get away finally.
The Commission said he was subsequently rushed to a private hospital in Port Harcourt where he is receiving treatment.
Ishaq Salihu, Head of the Zonal office says the incident has already been reported to the Police in Port Harcourt.
According to EFCC, Okwor who is one of the operatives investigating some sensitive cases including that pertaining to corrupt judicial officials had receiving threat messages before the incident.
The Commission said one of such messages which he received sometime in May 2017 was reported to the police.
Yet, EFCC noted that the incident underlines the hazards which operatives of the commission are daily exposed to in the discharge of their duties.
The Commission recalled that in 2010, precisely September 14, the head of the Commission’s Forensic Unit, Abdullahi Muazu, was shot and killed by unknown gunmen in Kaduna.
Earlier that year, a team of prosecutors returning to Enugu after a court appearance in Owerri, Imo state was attacked by gunmen who opened fire on them.
In the attack, Eze Edoga, the police escort was cut down while a senior counsel with the commission, Joseph Uzor, was critically wounded but survived.